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Monday, November 29, 2004

Theological Education for the Anglican Communion: BOOK LIST

A basic book list on Anglicanism

This book list was put together on behalf of TEAC (= Theological Education for the Anglican Communion) by Dr John Corrie, Development Officer of CEFACS, the Centre for Anglican Communion Studies, which has been based in Birmingham, England. Dr Corrie consulted with the other members of TEAC in choosing these key texts. The books are intended as a provisional list of about 30 books which the members of TEAC feel that, if possible, all Anglican theological education institutions where teaching and learning takes place in the English language, should contain as part of their library. We would welcome additional suggestions from around the Anglican Communion of other books which people would particularly recommend, and will be revising this list from time to time. We would also welcome information about books on Anglicanism in languages other than English. Please send any additional suggestions to Clare Amos, the Coordinator of TEAC at: clare.amos@anglicancommunion.org

Anglican Communion, The Official Report of the Lambeth Conference, 1998 (Morehouse, 1999) [An essential resource for resolutions, plenary presentations (including an important lecture by Rowan Williams on 'Making Moral Decisions) and discussion on all the major issues affecting the Communion]

Avis, P, The Anglican Understanding of the Church (SPCK, 2000) [An excellent introduction. Chap 7: 'The Shape of Anglican Ecclesiology', is a particularly good summary. His preference is for a 'Communion-through-baptism' model of understanding the essential nature of the Church. There is a useful, up-to-date bibliography]

Avis, P, Anglicanism and the Christian Church (T and T Clark, 2002) [A detailed and scholarly historical discussion from the 16C onwards, although it is not intended as a comprehensive history, but focuses on the development of the Anglican doctrine of the Church. Chap 1 'In search of Anglican Identity', is very good on what constitutes Anglican identity. Not for the faint-hearted, but made very readable in this completely revised and up-dated edition]

Bradshaw, T, The Olive Branch: An Evangelical Anglican Doctrine of the Church (Paternoster, 1992) [A comprehensive discussion of what it means to be Anglican from an evangelical perspective]

Bunting, I, Celebrating the Anglican Way (Hodder and Stoughton, 1996) [Chap 3: 'Anglican Belief', by Bruce Kaye, is a succinct summary of some core Anglican beliefs Chap 5: 'Anglican Origins and Ethos' by Elizabeth Culling, is a good introduction at a basic level Chap 6: 'The Anglican Way of Worship' by M.Vasey is a useful summary of what makes Anglican worship distinct Chap 7: 'Word and Sacrament' by P.Seddon summarises Anglican sacramental theology Chap 9: 'Praying our way through life' by G.Piggott draws out the breadth and diversity of Anglican spirituality in a straightforward style]

Craston, C (ed), By Word and Deed: Sharing the Good News through Mission (Church House Publishing, 1992) [Exploring the components, contexts and priorities of mission and their relationship to the centrality of evangelism in the light of the Decade of Evangelism. Some good articles from a good cross-section of the Communion]

Chatfield, A, Something in Common (Nottingham, St John's Extension Studies,
2001)
[A introduction to the principles and practices of worldwide Anglicanism set out in modular form as very useful course material at a basic level. Ideal for a foundation course in Anglicanism]

Douglas, I T and Kwok Pui-Lan, (eds), Beyond Colonial Anglicanism (Church Publishing Inc, New York, 2001) [A wide-ranging set of essays on the issues that have to be rethought if Anglicanism is to relate meaningfully to the new reality of the 21st Century Anglican Communion where the majority are 'majority world' Christians. Covers issues such as: structures and power, cultural hegemony, feminist readings of violence, ecology, sexuality, urbanisation, baptism, leadership, worship. Chap 14: 'Culture, Spirit, and Worship' by Jaci Maraschin is a challenging Brazilian view of how worship needs to be contextualised]

Gitari, G, Anglican Liturgical Inculturation in Africa (Grove Books, 1994) [Built around the Kanamai Statement (1993), which set out principles and guidelines for liturgical renewal in Africa, it briefly explores the indigenisation of liturgy]

Hannaford, R(ed), The Future of Anglicanism (Gracewing, 1996) [A set of scholarly essays on the themes of faith, authority, order, ecclesiology, Christology, orthodoxy Chap 3: 'Order and the Episcopate', is a rather diffuse discussion rooted in the Early Church's development of bishops and pointing to some contemporary application to how decisions are made. Chap 4: 'Ecclesiology and Communion', is an extended discussion of the meaning of 'koinonia', its roots in the Trinity and Christology, and its implications for the current division on the ordination of women]

Holeton, D R (ed) Our Thanks and Praise: the Eucharist in Anglican Theology Today (Anglican Book Centre, 1998) [Papers from the Fifth International Anglican Liturgical Conference on a wide range of theological issues including contextual liturgies]

Jacob, W M, The Making of the Anglican Church Worldwide (SPCK, 1997) [A historical survey of how Anglicanism evolved into a worldwide communion beginning with the Reformation up to 1960. Focuses especially on episcopacy and unity]

Johnson, E and Clark, J (eds) Anglicans in Mission: A Transforming Journey (SPCK, 2000) [Summarises the work of MISSIO, the Mission Commission of the Anglican Communion, and gives some good reflections on the dimensions of Anglican Mission, including the 'five marks of mission' (Chap 3), Evangelism (Chap 4), and Mission Structures (Chap 6)]

McAdoo, H R, Anglican Heritage: Theology and Spirituality (Canterbury Press,
1991)
[Chap 1: 'The Anglican Ethos', is a good introductory chapter which roots being Anglican in the traditions of the 17C]

McGrath, A (ed), Handbook of Anglican Theologians (SPCK, 1998) [Every significant theologian in Anglican history reviewed. There is a good survey of the history of Anglicanism in Britain from Henry VIII to the present by Paul Avis, pp 3-28. Part I is a useful regional survey of Anglican Theology]

McGrath, A, The Renewal of Anglicanism (SPCK, 1993)
[This is McGrath's attempt to renew Anglican theological method by reconstructing the 'via media' between fundamentalism and liberalism with a 'postliberalism' that is rooted in orthodoxy]

Okorocha, C C (ed), The Cutting Edge of Mission (Anglican Communion Publications, 1996) [A report at the mid-point of the Decade of Evangelism on what was happening around the world. There is a good essay by Dr George Carey on 'The Anglican Communion and Evangelism']

Percy, M, The Salt of the Earth: Religious Resilience in a Secular Age (London, New York, Sheffield Academic Press/Continuum, 2001) [A wide ranging exploration of Christian engagement with contemporary western culture by the new Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon, a leading Anglican academic and parish priest. Percy questions the secularisation paradigm and suggests that a discerning yet sympathetic, positive engagement with culture can generate a practical-prophetic ecclesiology that can help recover the role of the church as the 'salt of the earth'. Contains some insightful discussion on Anglicanism]

Pobee, J S, Invitation to be an African Anglican (Accra, Asempa Publishers,
2000)
[Examines all the basic foundations of Anglicanism from an African perspectives and challenges the Church there to indigenise the traditions so that its identity is authentically African]

Sachs, W L, The Transformation of Anglicanism (CUP, 1993)
[A detailed and scholarly exploration of the process by which Anglicanism was transformed into a missionary church in diverse contexts. Not just a narrative history, but details how modernity and world mission have changed Anglicanism]

Sykes, S, Unashamed Anglicanism (DLT, 1995)
[Part II is an extended and scholarly discussion of an Anglican doctrine of the Church Chap 7, 'Foundations of an Anglican ecclesiology', is a good place to begin]

Sykes, S, Booty, J, and Knight, J (eds) The Study of Anglicanism (SPCK, Fortress, Rev Ed, 1998) [Part I: 'The History of Anglicanism', is comprehensive and detailed. Part II: 'The Gospel in Anglicanism' by Louis Weil, tries to show what is distinctive and especially discusses the relationship between doctrine and liturgy. Part III 'Authority and Method' is an in-depth discussion of the respective roles of Scripture, Tradition and Reason, taking a historical view of how these terms have been interpreted. Part IV, Chap 6: 'Lex Orandi - Lex Credendi' by W T Stevenson is a discussion of the relationship between worship and doctrine, and especially the place of symbolism. Part V, Chap 2, 'The Fundamentals of Christianity' by S W Sykes is a summary of what has constituted the 'fundamentals' of Anglican teaching through its history Part V, Chap 4: 'Initiation' by D R Holeton takes a historical view of the development of baptism and confirmation to the present day Part V, Chap 5: 'Holy Communion' by W R Crockett is a scholarly but carefully worded and clear discussion of how Eucharistic theology has developed as something nether Catholic nor Calvinist Part VI, Chap 1: 'Anglican Spirituality' by A M Allchin describes helpfully how Anglican spirituality seeks to integrate faith and life through literature, poetry and music]

Warren, R, Being Human, Being Church (Marshall Pickering, 1995) [The best Anglican ecclesiology in recent years, this book argues for a paradigm shift in our understanding of the Church from maintenance mode to mission. Comes out of a British context, but has wider application]

Williams, Rowan, Anglican Identities (London, DLT, 2004)
[Any basic set of books should include at least one by our Archbishop-theologian. A stimulating set of essays based on leading Anglican theologians from William Tyndale to John Robinson, and as always challenging to read and assimilate. Relevance for today is sometimes hard to find, but the essays on Hooker are especially helpful in exploring what Archbishop Rowan calls a 'contemplative pragmatism' which engages positively with both revelation and reality to give us a 'sapiental theology' for today]

Wingate, A et al (eds), Anglicanism: A Global Communion ((London, Mowbray,
1998)
[A wide-ranging set of essays written from a predominantly 'majority world' perspective bringing together voices from all over the world]